Carton erecting machine



April 15, 1958 R. J. HlcKlN ET AL 2,830,507

CARTON ERECTING MACHINE Filed Oct. V8, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 1 gym ATTORNEY April 15, 1958 R. J. HlcKlN ETAL 2,830,507

CARTON ERECTING MACHINE Filed oct. a, 195e a sheets-sheet 2 I N VENTORS ATTORNEY R. '.I. HlCKlN ET AL CARTON ERECTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Shea?l 3 y ATTORNEY April 15,v 1958 Filed oct. 8, 195e April 15, 1958 R. J. HlcKlN ETAL CARTON ERECTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Oct. 8, 1956 ATTORNEY April 15, 1958 R. J. HlcKlN ETAL CARTON ERECTING MACHINE:

a sheets-sheet 5 Filed oct. 8, 1956 iNvENToRS ATTO EY April 15, 1958 Filed Oct. 8, 1956 R. J. HICKIN ET AL CARTON ERCTING MACHINE 8 Sheets-Shes?l 6 I NVENTORS ATTORNEY April 15, 1958 R. J. HlCKlN ETAL CARTON ERECTING MACHINE Filed Oct. 8, 1956 8 Sheets-Sheet 7 1 N VEN TORS fw J4 m m ATTORNEY April 15 1958 R. J. HlcKlN ET AL 2,830,507

CARTON ERECTING MACHINE Pda.

or INVENTORS l I 2 4 u l l jm 0% lnk,

ATTORNEY United States atent *0f 2,830,507 Patented Apr. 15, 1958 hice CARTON ERECTING MACHINE Robert J.. Hickin, Seville, and Gerald H. Steele, Leroy,

Ollio, assignors to The 0hio Boxboard Company, Rittman, Uhio, a corporation of Ohio Application October 8, 1956, Serial No. 614,464 14 Claims. (Cl. 93-51) This invention relates to carton erecting machines, and it has special reference to a machine primarily adapted for the erection of flat carton blanks of the type in which two vertical Walls of the erected carton, usually the side walls, are provided with glue flaps or tabs to the outer faces of which adhesive is applied so that they may be secured to the inner faces of the other two vertical walls, usually the end walls, to maintain the finished carton in properly assembled erected condition for use, although it is adaptable for erecting carton blanks of the type in which the glue flaps are adhesively secured to the outer faces of the adjacent vertical, or end, walls, in which case the adhesive is applied to the outer faces of such walls rather than to the flaps.

In accordance with generally accepted practice in the erection of carton blanks of the general type first mentioned, particularly, it is customary to apply adhesive to the glue flaps prior to presentation of the blanks to the erecting mechanism at the forming station of the carton erecting machine, and this practice requires the provision of special feeding and adhesive-applying mechanisms, results in rather complicated, bulky, 'floor-space consuming, and expensive machines, and is in other respects uneconomical for the carton user or packager to whom the carton blanks are usually furnished in fiat form, and hence is apt to increase the packaging cost and selling price of the packaged product.

lt has been realized heretofore that if the application of adhesive to the glue flaps of the carton blank could be performed during the erection of the blank to usable form, that is to say during the operation of the simple die cavity and plunger type of erecting mechanism, the carton erecting machine could be greatly simplified, its size diminished and its initial cost and operating expense reduced, with concomitant savings to the packager-user and tothe consumer of the packaged goods.

Hence, numerous attempts have heretofore been made to provide a carton erecting machine of the relatively simple type referred to with means for automatically applying adhesive to the glue' flaps, or other ultimately adhesively secured parts, of the carton blank during the operation of erecting the side and end walls of the blank, but so far as is known these attempts have not been practically successful as judged by the results obtained, either because of failure of proper functioning of the adhesive applying instrumentalities or for other reasons of faulty operation.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a satisfactorily operative carton erecting machine having cartonblank forming mechanism of the die cavity and plunger type with which forming mechanism are associated adhesive-applying means operative during the forming stroke of the plunger to apply adhesive to the glue receiving flaps or other chosen parts of the carton blank.

Another object of the invention is to provide novel mechanical means for imparting reciprocative movement to the plunger or former head of the forming mechanism.

A further object is to provide a carton erecting mechanism of compact form capable of being embodied in a machine of relatively small mobile unit type vwhich will occupy very little floor space.

Another object is to provide a machine having erecting mechanism and forming parts which may readily be accommodated, either by adjustment or replacement of parts, or both, to the erection of carton blanks of a variety of sizes and types, and which will, `moreover, operate eiectively to erect the iirst blank fed to the erecting mechanism. Thus, not only does the machine of the invention effect economies in plant equipment but also reduces waste of blanks to a negligible minimum.

Furthermore, due to its relatively simple construction, the machine may be acquired at low initial cost, and its maintenance is easy and inexpensive.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent as the description of the invention proceeds.

In a relatively broad sense the invention comprises a carton erecting machine of the die cavity and plunger type having means for receiving and supporting in operative register with such die cavity a at carton blank to be erected, such blank having glue flaps, tabs or other chosen parts to which adhesive is to be applied to serve` in securing the erected blank in usable carton' form, and adhesive applying means including rotatively driven rollers disposed adjacent to said die' cavity with their peripheries so positioned as to perform a bending and adhesive-applying operation upon said glue ilaps, tabs or other chosen parts as the blank is forced by the plunger toward the die cavity but prior to its actual entrance into the die cavity proper; and the invention comprises, also, means for mechanically reciprocating said plunger, means for optionally limiting the blank-forcing stroke of such plunger, means for accommodating the mechanical plunger reciprocating means to the stroke of the plunger, means associated with the forming head of the plunger and operative in response to action of the plunger reciprocating means during a dwell of the plunger at the limit of its forcing stroke for exerting pressure upon the adhesively united elements of the erected carton blank, mechanism for holding a supply of at carton blanks and including means for successively feeding blanks from such supply to the die cavity and plunger mechanism, means for driving the adhesive-applying rollers of the erecting mechanism, means for actuating the blank-feeding mechanism, motive power means for said driving and actuating means, means for automatically controlling operation of the machine to give assurance that it will function only when operative conditions are proper, and a supporting trame for carrying all of said elements in operative association as a mobile unit, all as will be explained hereinafter more fully and finally claimed.

ln the accompanying drawings illustrating the invention, in the several figures of which like parts are similarly designated,

Fig. ll is a front elevational View of themachine of the invention with the usual protective and masking plates removed but with an operation controlling safety screen or grille in place,

Fig. 2 is a rear elevational View of the machine, omitting all masking plates and safety screens or grilles,

Fig. 2a is an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevational view of the compensator means of the plunger actuating connecting rod,

Fig. 3 is a side elevational view of the machine as viewed from the left of Fig. 1, with certain parts shown in broken lines,

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of the machine as viewed from the right of Fig. 1,

Fig. 5 is an enlarged, partially schematic, sectional elevational View of associated parts of the plunger head assdsov 3 and die cavity erecting mechanism shown at the end of the carton erecting stroke of the plunger former head but prior to actuation of the presser mechanism upon the erected carton blank which is also shown,

Fig. 6 is a view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the presser mechanism in pressure applying condition,

Fig. 7 is a side elevational view of a modified form oi plunger carrying element of detachable, replaceable, type, and showing the means associated therewith for actuating the presser mechanism, i

Fig. 8 is a plan view of a carton blank the. al type for the erection of which the machine ot the invention is adapted,

Fig. 9 is a somewhat schematic top plan view oi the die-forming and other parts at the forming station,

Fig. 10 is a sectional elevational view taken on the line 16-10 of Fig. 9,

Figs. 11 to 18, inclusive, are semi-schematic views illustrating various progressive steps in the erection of a carton blank, Figs. 11 and 12 showing in longitudinal and transverse sectional elevation, respectively, a fiat carton blank supported in a position of operative register with the die cavity and former head, Figs. 13 and 14- showing in longitudinal and transverse sectional elevation, respectively, the relative positions of the carton blank elements when such blank has been forced by the former head partially past the adhesive-applying rollers, Figs. l5 and 16 showing in longitudinal and transverse sectional elevation, respectively, the relative positions ot the carton blank elements as upward folding of the side wall elements progresses in response to their engagement by the angularly disposed portions of the die cavity side wall plates, and Figs. 17 and 18 showing in longitudinal and transverse sectional elevation, respectively, the relative positions of the carton blank elements at the limit of the erecting stroke of the former head but prior to performance of the pressing operation and similar to the showing of Fig. 5.

Fig. 19 is an enlarged, partially schematic, top plan View of one of the glue applying mechanisms,

Fig. 2() is a longitudinal sectional elevational view taken on the line 20--20 of Fig. 19, and

Fig. 21 is a wiring diagram of the preferred electrical elements of the machine.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, 3 and 4, it will be seen that the structural frame of the machine includes upright front and rear corner posts 1 and 2, respectively, joined transversely by upper and lower iront rails 3 and 4, respectively, upper, intermediate and lower rear rails 5, 6 and 7, respectively, and upper and lower side rails S and 9, respectively, at its opposite sides. The lower ends of the corner posts l and 2 are preferably provided with casters 1li, or other appropriate type rollers, whereby the frame and the carton erecting mechanism and associated elements (later to be described) mounted upon and carried by it, may comprise a mobile unit capable of being freely moved from place to place within a carton manufacturing plant or packaging plant.

Substantially midway of their height the corner posts 1 and 2 are furnished with front and rear rails 11 and 12, respectively, and side rails 113, which provide support for a platform 14 upon, and with respect to which, the parts of the carton blank erecting or forming means may be mounted at a height convenient to an operator.

Mounted at the rear of the machine frame and supported thereon by struts 15' secured between the top and intermediate rails 5 and o is a hopper Ja appropriately downwardly, inwardly slanted by the oisets 2' of the rear posts 2, and adapted to receive in gravity feeding condition a stack of hat carton blanks (not shown) normally restrained against inward escape from the feed end of the hopper by retaining iingers 1i", Fig. l.

Supported upon the platform 14 and adjustable relatively thereto and to each other by bolt and slot means l. (Figs. 9 and l0) are the side plates 19 (Figs. l, 2, 5, 6, and 9 to 18) and end plates 2d (Figs. 3, 4, 5, 6, and 9 to 18) which provide the forming die cavity, the adjustment or replacement or which plates, within appropriate limits, will adapt the die cavity for operation upon carton blanks of various sizes.

Vertically, axially registered with, and complemental to, the die cavity is the plunger mechanism including a former head 21 carried by a driven rack bar 22 vertically guided by an idler pinion 23 journalled at 23 in the side plates of a housing i3d which also provide bearings for a shaft ZS having at its inner end a driven pinion 26 (Figs. 2 and 3) meshing with the driven rack bar 22 and its outer end passing through a bearing 27 and carrying a driver pinion 2S meshing with a driver rack bar 29 backed up against the thrust of the driver pinion 28 by guide rollers 3@ and operatively pivotally connected through a connecting rod 31 with the driver crank member 32 of appropriate change speed gearing mechanism 34 by a belt and pulley drive 35, 36, 37 from an electric motor 38.

Downward, forming stroke, travel of the former head 21 and hence of the driven and driver rack bars 22 and 29, respectively, is arrested at the proper predetermined point, as will be explained, by a pair of stop rods 39 having their lower ends affixed to the former head (see Figs. 5 and 6) to travel vertically therewith, and extending upwardly through stop collars 4o iixedly carried by top members (not shown) of the machine frame, the upper extremities of the stop rods being screwthreaded for appropriate adjustment thereon of stop nuts 4l which, when they abut against the stop collars 40 will limit downward travel of the rods 39.

inasmuch as the point of pivotal connection 32 of the connecting rod 31 with the crank member 32 travels in a circle of constant radius, some means must be provided for accommodating variations in stroke of the former head as reected in the rack bars 22 and 29. To this end the connecting rod is of divided length and is provided with an interposed compensator member (see particuarly Fig 2a) including a sleeve 42 aixed to one section of the connecting rod and housing a stop member 43 carried by the other section of the connecting rod, the lower end Si of which is guided in a socket formed at the base of the sleeve 42. A relatively heavy butter spring 44 is confined within the sleeve 42 by a. guide cap 45 and bears upon the upper face of the stop member 43.

In erecting carton blanks calling for adhesively secured connections such as those provided between the glue i'laps and end walls of the blanks hereinbefore particularly referred to, it is advisable to apply sealing pressure to the thus secured parts to aid in adhesion and setting of the adhesive. For this purpose the former head 21 of the present invention (see particularly Figs. 5 and 6) is provided at its ends with relatively movable pressure applying face members 46 connected as by bolts 46 with guide members 47 engaging guides 47 projecting inwardly from its sides, and these guide members 47 are connected through ear 48 with toggle links 49 pivoted to them and to a stud 50 separably connected with the driven rack bar 22 by a shank and bolt connection Sill-22'. Between the top 51 of the former head 21 and a stop shoulder 52 of the stud 50, and surrounding and guided by this stud, is a compression spring 53 of less strength than the spring 44 of the connecting rod compensator. Thus, although the spring 53 is of ample stilness to support that thrust of the driven rack bar 22 necessary to force the carton blank into the forming die cavity during the carton erecting stroke of the former head 2l, it is capable of being compressed when descent of this head is arrested by engagement of the stop nuts 41 of the rods 39 with the fixed stop collars 40, but continued downward movement of the rack bar 22 takes place due to its driving connections. Thus continued downward movement of the stud 50 under the inuence of the rack bar 22 will cause the toggle links 49 to project the pressure. applying face members 46. Obviously, here again the compensator of the connecting rod 31 will function inasmuch as any travel of the stud Sti in excess of that necessary to adequately project the face members 46 will be absorbed by the spring 44 of the compensator. Moreover, the angular travel of the crank member 32 and the linear travel of the rack bar 22 are so relatively determined that, after the former head 21 has reached the limit of its downward stroke and the face members 46 have been projected, about 30 of angular movement of the crank member 32 remains before its lower dead center is reached, and this provides a dwell affording setting time for adhesive applied to the carton blank parts. This of movement of the crank member 32 is also absorbed by the spring 44 of the compensator. A somewhat similar arrangement of pressure means applied to a carton former head is dis closed in forms modified from that disclosed herein in the copending application of Edwin I. Plough and Gerald lel. Steele for patent for Carton Machine, filed April 9, i954, Flerial llo. 423,066, now Patent No. 2,820,403, granted .ianuary 2l, 1958, but the compensator is not there included it being unnecessary in view of the air cylinder operation of the forming head as distinguished from the purely mechanical operation of the embodiment of the forming head of the present invention.

Above the platform 14, and hence spaced from the entrance opening of the forming die cavity, are carton blank receiving guides and supports 54 (see particularly Figs. l, 2, 3, 4, 9, l0, 11, 13, 15 and 17) adjustably mounted upon brackets 55 by means of slot and bolt connections S6 and carrying adjustable end stops 57 for effecting proper register of fed blanks, of substantially the general type shown `in Fig. 8, above the forming die cavity.

Flanking the ends of the die cavity, with their axial centers spaced above the platform 14, are pairs of adhesive-applying 'rollers 58 having their peripheral faces of intaglio form provided by a uniform pattern of recesses i9 (Fig. 20). These rollers are shown as arranged in pairs upon shafts and they are so spaced from each other axially upon these shafts as to properly locate them for operative engagement with the glue aps of the registered carton blanks when such blanks are depressed by the forcing head toward the plates of the forming die cavity.

The shafts 60 are rotatably carried in bearings 61 mounted upon slide blocks 62 which bear upon base plates 63 and are made adjustable upon such base plates by the provision of extensions 62 for the accommodation of slot and bolt connections 64, 65 (Fig. 20).

Each of the adhesive applying rollers 58 has an adhesive-holding font 66 adjustable with respect to the roller by means of a slotted base member 67 bolted to an adjacent support such as the extensions 62 of the slide blocks 62, and each of these fonts is provided with a spring-pressed doctor blade 68 which serves to clear adhesive from all portions of the peripheral surface of the roller excepting the contines of the recesses 59, thus avoiding any over-coating of the roller with adhesive. in order to prevent carry-over of adhesive from the bath by the axial side faces of the roller adjustable scraper lades 69 are provided. An intaglio glue roller of this general type is disclosed in the copending application of Robert l. Hickin for patent for Intaglio Glue Mechanism, tiled August 5, 1954, Serial No. 448,028, now Patent No. 2, 87,244, granted April 2, 1957.

The adhesive-applying rollers 58 at the opposite ends of the die cavity are constantly driven in opposite direcions so that their peripheries will wipe in the same sense over the upwardly bending, downwardly travelling glue fiaps at opposite ends of the carton blanks presented to them. Their direction of rotation is preferably clockwise and counterclockwise at the left and right ends of the die cavity (Fig. l), so that they will be rotated in a direction the same as that of the travel of the parts of the carton blanks in contact with them. Moreover, they will preferably be so rotated that their peripheral speed will be greater than the speed of` travel of the contacting carton parts to thereby tend to impart a driving force to such parts for a purpose hereinafter explained.

This drive of the adhesive-applying rollers is preferably positively accomplished by a chain and sprocket gearing including the endless chain 70 (Figs. l, 2, 3 and 4) appropriately meshing with and driving sprockets 71 on the ends of the two roller-carrying shafts 60, and with an idler sprocket 72, and passing around a driving sprocket 73 (Fig. 4) upon the shaft of a change speed gearing 74 which derives power through a belt and pulley drive 75, 76, 77 from an electric motor 78. One pass of the chain is shown as provided with a spring actuated slack adjuster 79 including an idler sprocket 80 whereby the chain 70 may be accommodated to necessary or desired relative adjustment of the shafts 60 and their rollers 58.

Feed of individual carton blanks from the hopper 16 to the blank receiving guides and supports 54 is accomplished by means of mechanism actuated by a back shaft 81 to which timed oscillation in proper relation to the stroke of the plunger mechanism and its former head 21 is imparted by a link 82 and a rock lever 83 on the back shaft 81, the link S2 being reciprocated by a crank 84 rotating with a sprocket 85 driven by a chain 86 from a drive sprocket 87 on the end of the shaft 33 of the vchange speed gearing 34, an automatic slack adjuster being provided for the chain 86.

The back shaft 81 carries a rock lever 89 operatively connected through a link 90 with a picker bar 91 of somewhat conventional form which serves to initially successively separate the upper edges of successive leading carton blanks from the stack in the hopper 16, and the back shaft also carries a pair of suction cups 92 mounted upon tubes 93 extending from arms 94 and to which suction is properly intermittently imparted through conduits 95 under control of a valve 96 actuated by a cam 97 from a motor driven vacuum pump unit 98 (see particularly Fig. 2). Thus, as the back shaft 81 oscillates, the carton blanks in the hopper 16 will be successively picked off by the suction cups 92`and deposited, and released, by the suction cups, upon the guides 54. y

In order` to successively advance the thus deposited blanks along the guides 54 to position against the stops 57 by which, in combination with the upstanding sides of the guides, they are registered over the forming die cavity, a horizontally travelling pusher member 99 is reciprocatively mounted upon a fixed guide rod 100 and reciprocation is imparted to this pusher member by a rock lever 101 carried by a rock shaft 102 oscillated through a rocker arm 103 and a link 104 by a crank 105 mounted upon and driven by the shaft 33 of the change speed gearing 34 and thus properly timed to the reciprocative stroke of the former head 21.

A conveyor chute 106 is provided to receive the erected cartons as they are successively discharged from the forming die cavity.

Having reference particularly to Figs. 5, 6, 9 and 10, it will be seen that the side plates 19 of the die cavity extend upwardly and outwardly from the cavity proper to provide former elements 19 arranged at an angle of approximately 45 with their upper edges lying in a plane closely adjacent to but preferably just slightly below that of the axes of the adhesive-applying rollers 58, where they merge into laterally, outwardly extending supporting members by which they are adjustably positioned upon suitable brackets (Fig. 10). The function of the former elements 19 in the operation of erecting a carton blank will be described hereinafter.

lt will be noted also that the end plates 20 of the die cavity are provided with upwardly extending, outwardly Haring guide members 20 which serve not only to assist in guiding the end wall members of the carton blanks into the die cavity but to shield such wall members from contact with the shafts 60 of the adhesive-applying rollers S8.

The modication of the invention illustrated in Fig. 7 provides means for greatly simplifying adaptation of the machine for the erection of carton blanks of various styles and dimensions in that it serves to facilitate a substitution of one former head for another. As will be seen, a plate 51a, similar to the top 51 of the embodiment shown in Figs. 5 and 6, is permanently attached to the lower ends of the stop rods 39, and this plate 51tr may have removably bolted to it any one of a variety of sizes and styles of former head members 21a each being essentially similar in general construction and including a rectangular frame having similar side members 2lb, a top member 21C, through which the attaching bolts 21a' pass and against which they bear, and a bottom member 21e which may fully or partially form the bottom of the former head.

Suitably guided between the side members 2lb adjacent to the bottom member 21e is a pair of pressure applying members 46a actuated in a manner similar to that of the previously described face members 46 by toggle links 49a pivotally connected to them and to a reciprocable rod Stia which is connected with the lower end of the rack bar 22 by a bolt and socket connection 22a, 22h. This rod 50a carries within the confines of the side members 2lb a stop collar 52a against which bears one end of a spring 53a having its other end bearing against a brace member 2li secured between the side members 2lb.

As shown, the connection 22a, 226 between the rod 50a and the rack bar 22 is such as to alford sulTicient play between the lower end of the rack bar and the top member 21e of the element 21a to permit a limited continued downward movement of the rack bar and with it of the rod 50a adequate to accomplish the desired actuation of the presser members 46a under the influence of the toggle linkage 49a, 49a.

Obviously, when a number of the unitary former elements 21a are provided to form a desired selection of styles and sizes of carton blanks, an adaptation of the machine for a particular style or size, insofar as changeover from one former element to another is concerned, may be made simply by detaching one former element from the plate 51a and bolting a replacement former element thereto. Of course, adaptation of the die cavity to different styles and sizes of carton blanks will require adjustment, or possibly replacement, of the cavity forming plates 19 and 20 and suitable adjustment of the adhesive-applying rollers.

Referring now to Figs. 5 to 20, the operation of the machine in its carton erecting procedure may be described as follows, it being noted that the representative carton blank shown in plan in Fig. 8 has a bottom wall a v deiined by longitudinal and transverse folding scores b and c, respectively, side walls d joined to the bottom wall a along the longitudinal scores b and provided at their opposite ends with glue tabs or ilaps e dened from them by folding scores f, and end walls g joined to the bottom wall a upon the transverse folding scores c.

When, as best shown in Fig. il, a flat carton blank deposited upon the guides Sd is moved therealong, with the free end edges of its end walls g guided by the upstanding edges of the guides, and is registered over the die cavity and beneath the former head 21 by the stops 57' (Figs. 9 and 10) with which the leading side edges of the end walls g contact, the glue flaps e will be properly positioned above the adhesive-applying rollers 53. Now,

as the former head 2.1 descends and carries the blank downward by Contact with the bottom wall a, the end walls g will fold upwardly as they escape from the guides 54 and, before the side walls d reach the angularly arranged former portions 19 of the side plates 19 oi the .lil

die cavity, the glue flaps e will engage and wipe against the peripheries of the rotating adhesive-applying rollers 53 and will pick up from the recesses 59 therein a coating of adhesive. This stage of erection is shown in Figs. 13 and 14.

lt should be noted here that during this stage the side walls d and the bottom wall a are subjected to a slight downward bowing by the engagement of the glue flaps c with the rollers 5t; kand the partial erection of the end Walls g. However, with the bottom wall a still free of folding engagement with the portions Z of the end plates which form the die cavity proper, the side Walls a will engage the angularly arranged former elements 19 of the cavity side plates 19 and will be partially erected. This partial erection will serve to remove the bowing of both the side walls and the bottom (Fig. 15) and will, moreover, cause the glue liaps e to rotate over the contacted surfaces of the rollers 53 (Fig. 16). This movement of the glue flaps e serves not only to give a more perfect distribution of adhesive over the major portion of their surfaces but also to insure an application of adhesive to their upper, outer corners where they join the side walls, thus removing the possibility of ultimate weak adhesion of such corners to the end walls g and avoiding the production of cartons with weak corners.

Moreover, the drive of the rollers 58 being such as preferably to give them a peripheral speed greater than the speed of descent of the glue flaps, adequate application of adhesive is assured and, with the rotary motion of the glue aps over the surfaces of the rollers 58 imparted by the angularly arranged elements 19 the proper distribution of this adhesive is made certain as stated.

As the former head 21 continues its downward stroke the side walls d and end walls g will be fully erected and the former head will reach the limit of its downward stroke (Figs. 5, 17 and 18).

When the former head has thus reached the predetermined limit of its downward stroke and is arrested by abutment of the stop nuts 41 of the rods 39 against the stop collars 40 of the fratrie7 further slight downward travel of the driven rack bar 22 will cause the presser members 46 to function, in response to actuation of the toggle linkage 49, 49 by the stud S0, to force the glue ilaps e against the end walls g supported by the cavity end plates 2t) (Fig. 6), as explained in connection with the foregoing description of Figs. 5 and 6, to improve the adhesion of these carton parts and provide an adequate setting period for the adhesive.

Thereafter, upon ascent of the plunger mechanism, the presser members 46 will be retracted, and frictional engagement of the walls of the erected carton with the side and end plates 19 and Z0 of the die cavity will enable it to be freed from the former head but it will be suspended within the die cavity until, as subsequently erected cartons are produced, it and they will be pushed down and successively discharged from the lower end of the die cavity and will fall into and travel along the chute 106.

Obviously, instead of relying upon frictional engagement of the erected cartons with the wall plates of the die cavity to strip them from the former head, stripper fingers or lugs (not shown) may be appropriately located in the cavitywall plates in a manner well understood.

Wiring for the various electric circuits and motors, and piping and control valves for the vacuum system, have, in the main, been omitted from the drawings as not important to a full understanding of the invention, but the wiring diagram of Fig. 2l, hereinafter described, will make apparent the manner in which operation of the machine may be effectively controlled. It will be understood that all these adjuncts form parts in the complete machine and are mounted upon and carried by the supporting frame. Furthermore, the cover or masking plates and screens or grilles, hereinbefore referred to as removed in the showing of the drawings,

serve to house the mechanisms and other elements and conceal and guard some of the working parts, thus to produce a compact mobile unit of apparatus which, for operation, needs only to have a lead plugged into a convenient electric outlet.

Having reference particularly to Figs. 1 to 4 and 21, it will be seen that the machine is preferably provided with three manually operable electric switches 107, 108 and 109 located upon the frame within easy reach of an operator stationed at the front of the machine (Fig. 1), and a switch 110 which is automatically closed when the protective screen or grille 111 is in its protective, down, position and automatically opens when this screen or grille is raised.

The switches 107, 108, 109 open and close circuits from the line L, which is preferably a cable carried by the machine and provided with a plug for insertion in a service outlet. Switch 108 supplies current directly to the motor 7S which furnishes power to constantly drive the adhesive-applying rollers 58 while the machine is in service, and switch 109 similarly supplies current to the motor of the vacuum pump unit 98. Normally open switch 110 is closed only when the screen or grille 111 is in its down position (Fig. l) so that even though the Vmain control switch 107 is closed the main motor 38 which furnishes power for actuation of the carton erecting mechanism proper will receive no current unless the screen or grille 111 is in its protective, down position.

A relay, with its solenoid coil 112 energized and associated switch contacts 113 closed, directly controls the circuit through the main motor 38. Current through the main motor may be interrupted by de-energizing the coil 112 which opens the switch contacts 113 due to the opening of a normally closed switch 114 arranged in the path of travel of finished cartons, as in the carton discharge chute 106 (Fig. 4), and the automatic opening of a cam-operated switch 115 (Fig. 3) actuated in timed relation to the intermittent feed of carton blanks from the hopper 16 and hence functioning in timed relation to the reciprocation of the former head 21, or to the opening of an auxiliary switch 116.

In normal operation of the machine the various motors and switches included in the electrical system (Fig. 2l) will function as follows:

With the line L plugged into a correct source of power, the closing of switches 108 and 109 will energize the motors 78 and 98 driving the adhesive-applying rollers 58 and the vacuum pump, respectively.

To place the machine in operation the safety screen or grille 111 which covers the upper half of the front panel of the machine must be in its down, or safety, position. In this position the normally open contacts of the switch 110 are closed. Whenever this screen or grille is raised, the machine will not start or, if the machine is in operation, it will come to a stop on the next succeeding upward stroke due to opening of the switch 115, as will be explained.

For continuous operation of the machine, switch 107 is closed, and switch 116 is also closed. This permits current to ow from one side of the line L through the coil of relay 112. Thence through the closed contacts of switch 116, which bypasses control switch 114, and then through the closed contacts of switch 110 to the opposite side of the line. The energized coil of relay 112 closes the relay actuated contacts of switch 113, thus energizing the main motor 38.

The machine may be stopped by opening either of switches 107 or 116. However, the use of switch 116 for this purpose is preferable. Opening of switch 116 places cam operated switch 115 in the circuit, and, as hereinbefore stated, the operation of this switch is so timed that its contacts are opened momentarily due to their actuation by the cam which is driven in timed relation to reciprocation of the former head 21, deenergizing its.

10 the coil of the relay 112 at a time such that the former head 21 stops in the upper portion of its stroke.

For intermittent or controlled operation of the machine, switch 107 is closed, as before, but switch 116 is opened. Current then passes from one side of the line L, through the coil of relay 112, the normally closed contacts of switch 114 and the closed contacts of switch 1.10 to the opposite side of the line. Energized coil of relay 112 causes the contacts of switch 113 to close, thus energizing the main motor 33 and putting the machine in operation.

Switch 114 located in the discharge chute 1F06 of the machine has no etect on the operation of the machine so long as the erected cartons pass completely over it. However, should the erected cartons so accumulate in the chute that one remains in contact with the operating lever of switch 114, thus serving to hold its contacts open, the machine will come to a stop through cam controlled opening of the switch 115. Removing the carton-from contact with the operating lever of switch 114 will permit its contacts to reclose thus restoring operation of the machine.

Although the switch 114 is hereinbefore described, and shown in the drawings, as located in the discharge chute 106 down which erected cartons issue from the machine, thus contributing to the self-contained, mobile unit nature of the machine, it will be readily understood that this switch may function at a location remote from the machine, such as in connection with a travelling conveyor or the like which carries erected cartons from the machine to a point of use or disposal, for example a packaging station. Also, instead of being in the form of a microswitch, which is a form well suited to its purpose, the switch 14 may take the form of a photo-electric control device which will function in substantially the manner u disclosed in the copending application of Robert J. I-Iickin for patent for Conveyor System, tiled June 4, 1954, Serial No. 434,599, now Patent No. 2,789,678, granted April 25, 1957.

Various changes and modifications are considered to -be within the principle of the invention and the scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A carton erecting machine, including means providing a carton erecting die cavity, means associated with said die cavity for presenting thereto and individually supporting thereover in predetermined axial register therewith members of a successive series of foldable carton blanks, a reciprocable plunger element having a former head in axial register with said die cavity, means for imparting reciprocation to said plunger element to cause its head to engage a supported carton blank and force said blank into said die cavity and to thereafter retract, rotary adhesive-applying rollers flanking said die cavity and in arrangement with respect thereto and to a carton blank registered therewith to perform a simultaneous bending and adhesive-applying operation upon certain predetermined foldable glue flaps of said blank during the blank forcing action of said former head, and means for imparting rotation to said rollers.

2. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim l, in. which the adhesive-applying rollers at opposite ends of said die cavity are so driven as to rotate clockwise and counterclockwisel respectively, whereby their direction of rotation with respect to the glue flaps at opposite ends of the carton blank as forced past them by the forming head will be the same.

3. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim l, in which said adhesive-applying rollers are mounted for adjustment toward and away from the respective ends of said die cavity, whereby their peripheries may be arranged for optimum bending and adhesive-applying operation upon the glue flaps at opposite ends of said carton blank.

4. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim 1, in which said adhesive-applying rollers are arranged at opposite ends of said die cavity in pairs complemen'tal to the i 'l two foldable glue aps at the respective ends of said carton blank, each of said pairs of rollers being mounted upon and for rotation with a common shaft.

5. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim 4, in which the shafts of Said pairs of adhesive-applying rollers have bearing mountings respectively adjustable toward and away from the respective ends of said die cavity, whereby the peripheries of said rollers may be operatively located for optimum bending and adhesive-applying position with respect to the glue aps at opposite ends ot said blank.

6. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim 5, in which means are provided for imparting rotation to said shafts and hence to the peripheries of said rollers in opposite directions.

7. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim 1, in which the die cavity is provided by a plurality of plates operatively associated to form its side and end Walls, and the plates forming the side walls of the die cavity which engage the glue flap-carrying walls of the carton blank are provided with angularly upwardly projecting elements extending outwardly from the die cavity proper, said projecting elements serving to engage the glue flapcarrying walls of the carton blank and bend them upwardly upon the folding scores which derine them from the bottom wall to thus cause their attached glue flaps to wipe over said adhesive-applying rollers with a rotary motion.

8. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim 7, in which the upper extremities of said angularly projecting elements lie in a horizontal plane closely adjacent to that in which the axes of rotation of the adhesive-applying rollers fall, whereby the said glue ilaps will be caused to rotatively wipe against said rollers substantially in vertical tangential `relation to said rollers.

9. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim 8, in which the upper extremities of said angularly projecting elements lie in a horizontal plane closely adjacent to but below that in which Athe axes of rotation of said adhesive-applying rollers fall.

l0. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim l, in which the adhesive-applying rollers are so driven that their peripheries with which the glue flaps engage travel in the direction of travel imparted to the carton blank by said former head.

ll. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim 8, in which the adhesive-applying rollers are so driven that their peripheries with which the glue llaps engage travel in the direction of travel imparted to the carton blank I ciated with said die cavity for presenting thereto and individually supporting thereover in predetermined axial register therewith members of a successive series of foldable carton blanks in flat form each comprising a bottom wall with side and end walls detined from said bottom wall by folding scores and the side walls being provided at their ends with glue aps bendable upon folding scores and adapted to be adhesively secured to the inner faces of the end walls in the erected carton, a reciprocable plunger element having a former head in axial register with said die cavity and provided with a carton blankcontacting face of an area substantially commensurate with the delined bottom wall of the carton blank, means for imparting reciprocation to said plunger element to cause its head to engage the supported carton blank and force said blank into said die cavity to thereby erect its side and end walls and to thereafter retract, and adhesive-applying rollers anking said die cavity and arranged between said cavity and said blank supporting means, said adhesive-applying rollers serving during travel of said blank with said former head to bend said glue flaps upon their folding scores substantially normal to their respective side walls and to simultaneously apply adhesive to said llaps, and means for imparting rotation to said rollers.

13. A carton erecting machine as claimed in claim 12, in which said former head is provided with face members movable relatively to its ends and actuated in response to reciprocation of said plunger means to be projected after said former member has reached the limit of its carton blank erecting stroke within said die cavity to exert pressure upon the adhesive-coated erected glue flaps and the erected carton end walls juxtaposed thereto to in sure proper adhesion of these carton parts.

A carton erecting machine, comprising as a selfcontaincd unit, a structural frame, said frame providing a mobile support for the following mechanism, namely means providing a carton forming die cavity, means for holding a supply of at carton blanks, means for successively feeding blanks from such supply to a position in register with said die cavity, means for supporting the thus positioned blanks, plunger mechanism carrying a former head for forcing the thus successively positioned blanks into said die cavity to erect them to carton form, adhesive applying mechanisms including fonts provided with rollers flanking said cavity in such position with respect thereto as to be engaged by glne flaps of said blanks and to bend and apply adhesive to such flaps during the forcing stroke of said former head, means for respectively imparting functional motion to said blank feeding means and to ysaid plunger mechanism, means for imparting rotative motion Ato said adhesive-applying rollers, and means for supplying motive power to said several motion imparting means, whereby the carton erecting machine may be moved as a complete operative whole from one location to another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,074,066 Rea Sept. 23, 1913 1,555,010 lnman et al. Sept. 29, 1925 2,486,085 Whitmore et al a.. Oct. 25, 1949 

